By mid to late winter, most ponds and lakes of the American Midwest have frozen over; but deeper waters, especially near dams of our larger rivers and reservoirs, often remain open, even in the coldest of winters. These open waters attract a large number and wide variety of wintering waterfowl, inland gulls and the predators that feed on them. Among the more common visitors to these winter oases are Canada geese, ring-billed and herring gulls, common mergansers, buffleheads, lesser scaup, ring-necked ducks, redheads, common goldeneyes and bald eagles.
Avid bird watchers know that less common winter residents and rare seasonal vagrants also turn up at these sites. Canvasbacks, tundra and trumpeter swans, greater scaup, scoters, Barrow's goldeneyes, oldsquaws and smew are among the prized waterfowl that may be encountered; wandering winter gulls may include glaucous, Thayer's and black-backed species. Almost any North American loon might visit these pockets of open water and peregrine falcons, which follow the winter flocks, may also be seen.
Such congregations of water birds, often unknown to the casual birder or naturalist, offer some of the most stirring spectacles in nature. Trips to these sites may take some time and planning but the effort will be rewarded; warm, layered clothing, a bird identification guide and powerful binoculars (or a spotting scope) will be essential. At many areas, the birds can be observed from the comfort of your vehicle, which also serves as an effective blind.
